Cool Whip / Whipped Topping / Cream Substitute

Avoid icky hydrogenated oils: this is by no means a diet or lite food, but a purer alternative. This isn't really a recipe as much as a technique to make your own whipped topping for desserts that call for it, such as pies, dessert pizzas, etc. SERVING SIZE IS 1 TBSP

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 40
• Yields: 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1  pint heavy whipping cream
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
•  optional 1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Whip the cream with a whisk or wooden fork in a sturdy bowl until peaks form.
2. Beat in the powdered sugar tablespoon by tablespoon, until it has something of a real shape and consistency to it. Voila, you're done! Sprinkle with some cinnamon if topping a pumpkin pie.
3. I like giving it a light vanilla flavor-- a little goes a long way, 1/8-1/4 tsp is really all you need. For some ideas, 1/4 tsp lemon extract with some yellow food dye makes for a nice lemon cream topping, same with strawberry extract and red food coloring. Almond extract with some crushed almonds on top? Mmm!